By ERIN HOPKINS

Staff Writer

Wal-Mart shoppers, beware. In an attempt to provide a fresher, cleaner place to shop for their customers, Wal-Mart Supercenter, located at 1201 N. Service Rd. East, will soon undergo renovations on the inside and outside of the building.

Mike Powers, store manager and a Ruston resident, said the store has been a Supercenter for 10 years and it is time for a new look. The construction will be an inconvenience to customers and employees but will have benefits when the renovations are finished.

Powers said the store averages about 7,000-8,000 customers a day which causes wear-and-tear on the building. Most of those customers are Tech students. Some students still have mixed feelings about the renovations.

"The construction will slow us down a lot while we shop, and it will be inconvenient," Khadijah Ali, a sophomore photography and graphic design double major, said.

Laura Cook, a freshman health information management major, said Wal-Mart is already hectic without the renovations.

"I don't think that the renovations will benefit their sales," Cook said. "I am not going there to admire the building but to shop."

Sara Schafer, a sophomore graphic design major, said the building would benefit from the improvements.

"I think it's good that Wal-Mart is trying to improve their image; some parts of the store need it," Schafer said.

Powers said the renovations will start Monday, and it is an 11-week project. The store will have a grand re-opening April 9.

Powers said the outside of the store will be re-painted and the parking lot repaired. The inside will also be re-painted and given a fresher image. New colors have been chosen to give the store a different look.

"[The color] is going to be kind of a beige-rose color and will be a welcomed change," Powers said.

Powers said the floor tiles will be replaced with wood flooring and the carpet will be replaced.

"If you look at this store and look at one that just opened up, they have fresh paint and fresh floors," Powers said. "A fresh look is what we are going for."

He said the deli and dairy section in the back of the store will be re-done. Subway will be replacing Radio Grill but will be placed in the front of the store.

Powers said all the renovations will be done in sections and start in the front of the store.

"[The front] is the part that affects the customers first, and we want to inconvenience the customers as little as possible," he said.

Powers said he wants to give the customers something to look at and a fresher, cleaner look at the merchandise.

"[Store employees] are looking forward to the renovations [as well]," Powers said. "We are thankful we are going to have a different look, and we are giving the customer a different look."